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Monday, June 29, 2015 10:19 AM

Adrian Belew writes on Facebook (Jun 28, 2015):

in the early 1970s I was a starving guitarist. I had joined a new band called Zarada (supposedly it was Czechoslovakian for "garden").

I guess you had to be there.

the beatles were gone and now we were caught up in the newest music, something called "progressive rock". we were entirely immersed in the music of two bands, King Crimson and Yes.

"Roundabout" was playing on the radio about every other 10 minutes and it was announced Yes were coming to play in my town (Cincinnati) at a large club called Reflections.

through some local finagling Zarada managed to be the first of two opening acts for Yes.

it was our first and only performance, we sucked the moon out of the sky. and that was the end of Zarada.

but earlier that afternoon I got to watch Yes's soundcheck.

first my favorite drummer Bill Bruford came out to tune his drums and play a few fills. I was apoplectic.

then Chris Squire appeared on stage, made a few remarks to the soundman (as I have done 1000 times since) and launched into Fish.

I had never heard a bass player play what he played then and my idea of bass playing has never been the same since.